Solar powered cooking device

ABSTRACT

A cooking device includes a heatable element for providing heat for cooking food. The heatable element includes a fluid channel through which a heating fluid flows for transferring heat from the heating fluid to the heating element. A solar collector is provided through which the heating fluid flows. The solar collector includes heating tubes capable of receiving solar energy, and converting the solar energy, and converting the solar energy into heat energy, and transferring the generated heat energy to the heating fluid to heat the heating fluid to a temperature above the boiling point of water. The return conduit member is provided for collecting fluid which emerges from the heating element and conducting the heating fluid back to the solar collector for reheating by the solar collector

PRIORITY CLAIM

The instant application claims benefit of priority to Zintel and McMahon U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/087,656 that was filed on 4 Dec. 2014, and which is fully incorporated herein by reference.

I. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to cooking devices, such as grills, cook-tops, and ovens and, in particular, to a cooking device that employs solar energy at least a portion of its power source.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A large number of various cooking devices exist, such as grills, cook tops, and ovens. Grills generally comprise a planar heat conduction cook top surface that is heated from below to add heat to the grill, which heat is then transferred to the food piece being cooked.

Small grills are often used in a home setting to cook foods such as pancakes, eggs, and sandwiches that are best cooked on a flat surface. In a commercial setting, grills are used very frequently to grill a wide variety of meats and foods, such as hamburgers in a fast food restaurant, and steak at a cheese steak restaurant. Additionally, vegetables and other foods are often grilled.

A cook top is similar to a grill insofar as it comprises a generally planar surface upon which a user may either place food directly for cooking, or upon which a cooking utensil such as a pan may be placed to heat the pan to cook the food therein. Cook tops typically include a plurality of stations wherein the temperature at the particular station or section can be varied. For example, household stoves having ceramic cook tops typically include four different locations that can be heated independently, so that the user can cook anywhere between one to four different items at anywhere between one and four different temperatures.

An oven is a cooking device that includes a chamber that is heated to cook food indirectly. Unlike the cook top that directly applies heat to either to the food piece or to a pan containing the food piece, an oven heats a chamber to a pre-determined temperature (e.g. 350 degrees), so that food placed within the chamber becomes heated so that the food cooks by being placed in the heated environment, rather than through direct contact with the heated surface.

Currently, there are four primary ways to apply heat to a cooking device such as a griddle, grill, cooktop or oven. These four primary means include electric, gas, wood, or coal heat energy sources. An electric heat source works through the application of resistive heating that results from current being run through a coil that transforms the electric energy to heat energy, to heat the cooking device, and thereby cook the food. In a gas fueled apparatus, a burner set through which natural gas or propane can flow and be burned is employed to heat the cooking device by employing the heat that is given off by the burning of the natural gas or propane or other fuel.

The various benefits and drawbacks of both electric, gas, wood, and coal-based heating are generally well known in the art. Currently, each of electric, gas, wood, and coal fired cooktops and ovens are capable of performing their function in heating food in a workmanlike and highly desirable manner. Nonetheless, room for improvement exists.

In particular, room for improvement exists in providing the heating source for a grill top and/or oven or other cooking device that is more fuel-efficient than one using gas or electrical power.

One object of the present invention is to address this issue by providing a cooking device that employs solar energy to either fully or partially heat the cooking device to an appropriate temperature at which the cooking device can cook food in a manner similar to the manner in which the food is cooked now by a conventional gas or electric driven cooking device.

III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a cooking device is provided that comprises a heatable element for providing heat for cooking food. The heatable element includes a fluid channel through which a heating fluid flows for transferring heat from the heating fluid to the heating element. A solar collector is provided through which the heating fluid flows. The solar collector includes heating tubes capable of receiving solar energy, and converting the solar energy, and converting the solar energy into heat energy, and transferring the generated heat energy to the heating fluid to beat the heating fluid to a temperature above the boiling point of water. The return conduit member is provided for collecting fluid which emerges from the heating element and conducting the heating fluid back to the solar collector for reheating by the solar collector.

Preferably, the cooking device further comprises a heat exchanger through which heating fluid in the return conduit flows. The heat exchanger is configured for transferring heating fluid to a second heating fluid flowing in a second heating fluid flow path.

In most preferred embodiments, the second heating fluid path comprises a water heater.

The solar collector of the heating device can include a series of spaced, evacuated thermal collector tubes and a header tube. Fluid carrying pipes are provided for conducting a collector heater fluid between and in the evacuated tubes for heating the collector heating fluid, and in the header for transferring the heat in the collector heating fluid to the heating fluid. The heat pipes in the header are spaced apart by a distance to promote turbulent flow of the heating fluid in the header past the pipes.

A secondary heating source can be provided for transferring heat to the heating element for supplementing the heat provided by the solar collector. The secondary heating source can comprise a conventional heating source, such as a gas burner, an electric burner, a wood burner, oil burner, coal burner, or other fossil fuel material capable of being burned and giving off heat.

The heat exchanger can have a variety of different configuration. In one embodiment, the heat exchanger comprises a grill top having a hollow channeled cavity interior into which the fluid passages are formed.

In a another embodiment, the heating element comprises a plurality of individually controllable heating elements that are employed on a cook top, wherein the individually controllable heating elements permit the user to establish a plurality of different heating zones or portions for heating different foods and materials at different temperatures.

In still another alternate embodiment, the channeled cavity heating element comprises a wall structure of an oven can also include conventional upper and lower heating elements. The heating fluid within the channeled cavity walls heats the interior of the oven to a desired temperature.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a traditional gas or electric heating element is employed as a “booster” or supplemental heating element. An example of such a traditional heating element is a gas burner, or a set of electrical heating elements. The gas burners or electric heating elements are employed at times when the solar collectors are not providing heated fluid to the heating element at a sufficient temperature, or wherein the user decides to raise the temperature of the surface of the heating element to a temperature above that which the solar collectors are capable of providing.

In a most preferred embodiment, the solar collectors comprise solar panels of the type produced by Solar America Corporation of Indianapolis, Ind., such as the Solar American Model Sun Quest 250 solar panel, which is described in Crawmer U.S. Pat. No. 9,170,057, which issued on 27 Oct. 2015, and which patent is fully incorporated by reference herein.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a review of the drawings and detailed description presented below.

IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 comprises a schematic view of the cooking device heating system of the present invention installed in a building;

FIG. 1A comprises a perspective, somewhat schematic view of a grill top type cooking device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a four-burner cook top embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic, partly cut away view of an oven employing the present invention to both heat the oven chamber and to heat the cook top on the top of the oven; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the power head used to connect the present invention to the fluid supply and exhaust, and electrical power.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another alternate embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the cooking device of the present invention that is embodied in a cooking and hot water delivery system within a structure such as a restaurant or home.

V. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning to FIG. 1, a schematic view of the present invention is shown that illustrates the primary components of the device.

The various components of the device are shown as being placed inside of a building B, this indicated by dashed lines. The importance of building B is to note that the solar collector SC is disposed exteriorly of the building, while the remainder of the components are disposed inside of the building. Although the most likely place to put the solar collector is on the roof of the building, the solar collector can be placed anywhere in close proximity to the building, and may be placed on a “solar panel farm” when large installations are used.

The solar collector is preferably a solar collector such as is shown in Donald L. Crawmer, U.S. Pat. No. 9,170,057, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.

The Crawmer solar panel, or one that is the functional equivalent thereto, is placeable on the exterior of the building. As is described in the Crawmer application, the solar panel includes a plurality of tubes through which fluid flows.

The fluid conducting tubes are contained within other tubes having a coated surface. The coated surface on the exterior tubes helps to convert solar energy into heat. The heat collected by the outer tubes is transferred to the fluid conducting tubes that also include coatings that are designed to trap and retain heat that is generated by the coating on the vacuum tubes.

The Crawmer solar collector is capable of obtaining substantially and surprisingly elevated temperature of the fluid contained within the fluid conducting tubes, through its efficient transfer of solar energy to heat energy. The Crawmer solar panel preferably conducts a glycol-water mixture as a primary fluid through its passageways. The Applicants have found that a glycol-water mixture has desirable performance characteristics, as it elevates the boiling temperature of the water and depresses the freezing temperature. The use of a glycol-mixture serves the same purpose as the use of glycol in an automobile coolant system does, as it prevents the system from freezing over the winter, or boiling over in the summer. In addition to water based fluids, oil based fluids can also be used.

The benefit of oil based fuels is that they are capable of reaching temperatures that are substantially elevated from the boiling point of water, to thereby conduct hotter temperature fluid to the devices to be heated. Additionally, as explained in the Crawmer application, the fluid within the fluid containing conduit may be pressurized, as pressurized fluids can be hated to a higher temperature without boiling than non-pressurized fluids.

The solar collector includes a fluid intake port 26, and a fluid outflow port 30. Water that is heated within the solar conduit is directed out the fluid outflow port 30 and into a first fluid conduit 32. The heated water in one fluid conduit 32 is delivered to a heating device intake manifold 34.

The heating device intake manifold 34 delivers the heated fluid that flows therein into the fluid passageways 38 that are contained within the heating device 44. The fluid flows through the channeled cavity that comprises the fluid passageways 38 of the heating device 44 in a manner wherein the heat from the heated fluid is transferred to the body of the heating device 44, such as the grill surface to thereby heat the grill surface to a suitable temperature. Over time, the temperature that the heating device 44, has the potential to achieve is generally equal to about the temperature of the fluid flowing therein or possibly slightly there below, as some of the heat will be burned off through the interaction with the heated grill surface with a lower temperature atmosphere. After flowing through the channeled cavity 38 of the heating device 44, the fluid flows into a heating device exhaust manifold 48, where the fluid is collected and then directed to an outflow pipe 52, that is a fluid conduit return pipe 52 that ultimately returns the fluid back to the fluid inflow port 76 of the solar collector 12.

However, before delivering the fluid back to the solar collector 12, the exhaust fluid is employed to heat secondary applications, via a heat exchanger 56.

This secondary heating operation is possible since the fluid that emerges from the primary heating device 44 is still at an elevated temperature, relative to room temperature. Since the fluid is flowing through the solar collector 12 and heating device 44 loop 24 may not be a potable fluid of the type that one would wish to have running through the pipes of one's house, or have emerge from one's bathroom or sink, a heat exchanger 56 is employed to indirectly transfer heat from the fluid return conduit portion 60 of the fluid conducting conduit 24 to the secondary fluid path 62.

The heat exchanger 56 includes a first fluid path that comprises a coil 66 through which the solar collector fluid flows. Surrounding the coil 66 is a second fluid path 62 through which the secondary fluid flows. The secondary fluid path 62 includes a heat exchange inflow manifold 74, a body 76 and a heat exchange exhaust manifold 78. Fluid in the secondary heat exchanger flows in from either the outside water lines 82, or alternately, through another area within the building, and enters into the heat exchange intake manifold 74.

As it passes over and around the coil 66, the heat from the heated solar collector fluid heats the secondary fluid that may comprise potable water. The heat exchange exhaust manifold 78 then collects the water that flows through the body 76 of the heat exchanger 56 through an exhaust fluid conduit 86 that transfers the water to a place where it is used, such as a water heater 90. Preferably, the water that is introduced into the water heater 90 should be at the desired temperature of the water heater water which is typically between about 100 to 140 degrees F.

The water heater 90 should also include a conventional auxiliary heating source such as an electrical coil or gas burner 94 as an auxiliary heating source in case the water that is flowing into the interior of the water heater 90 is less than the desired output temperature. The water heater 90 contains an outflow pipe 96 so that water from the water heater 90 can be directed to other places within the structure's water delivery system, such as hot water taps, washing machines, dish washers, steam heaters and the like.

A grill of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1A. The grill comprises a grill member 10 that includes a generally planar upper surface that is often rectangular in shape. The grill 100 also includes a lower member 108 and first 112 and second 114 side members that, when joined together, form a grill element 110 that includes an upper surface 106, a lower surface 107, a first closed side surface 112, a second closed side surface 114, a first open or intake end 118, a second, open or exhaust end 122, and a channeled cavity 124 that is defined between the upper 106 and lower surfaces and side surfaces 112, 114 of the grill member 102.

The interior of the grill member 100 includes a channeled cavity 124 through which fluid can flow. Preferably, the cavity 124 includes a series of channels 126 to direct the flow of heated fluid through the hollow interior. These flow channels 126 can take a shape similar to the flutes of corrugated cardboard, in that one can employ a generally sinusoidal shaped interior member 128 (FIG. 1C) that extends within the interior cavity 14 and forms a plurality of channels 126 that extend between the open intake end 118 and open outflow end 122.

Preferably, the passageway forming member 128 has a coated surface that is provided for inducing a turbulent flow of water through the interior passageway 126. A turbulent flow of fluid within the passageway 126 is desired because it increases the contact between the fluid and the various heatable surfaces 106, to thereby increase the heating efficiency of the fluid.

An intake manifold 118 is placed on the first or open intake side of the heating element member and a second or exhaust manifold 122 is disposed along the second open side of the heating element 100, so that the intake 118 and exhaust 122 manifolds are in fluid communication with the interior channels 126 of the heating grill member 102. The intake manifold 118 generally extends along the first intake side of the heating element 100 and may include a plurality of fluid directing elements 134. The fluid directing elements 134 can have an appearance similar to that shown in FIG. 1B, and comprise a series of generally arcuate lens-like members 134 that both serve to turn the fluid and cause it to flow in a perpendicular direction through its flow in the intake manifold 118 so that it flows along the fluid channels 126 and also helps to induce turbulence in the flow of fluid, to thereby enhance the heat exchange properties of the fluid flow.

The first fluid conduit 138 is provided for conducting the heated fluid from the solar collector 12 (FIG. 1) to the intake port of the intake manifold 118. The first fluid conduit 138 may include an electronic thermometer 140 to monitor the temperature of fluid flowing into the intake manifold 118.

Additionally, the fluid conduit 140 should include a valve member or pump controller 144 for controlling the volume of fluid that flows into the cavity 124 of the grill member 110. As will be explained later, one can adjust the valve or pump controller 144 to thereby adjust the volume of fluid flow through the grill cavity 124 to thereby adjust the temperature of the grill surface 106. To achieve a lower temperature of the grill, one throttles back the valve or pump 146 output to reduce the flow of fluid through the cavity 124.

Alternately, to increase the temperature of the grill one adjusts the valve to allow more heated fluid to flow through the grill or adjust the pump 144 output to pump more quickly to increase the fluid flow volume. Alternately, a situation might occur, such as on Winter nights, when the fluid flowing through the solar collector 12 is actually colder than one would desire, because the fluid within the solar collector 12 is not converting much solar energy into heat energy since it is night time, and is also being cooled down because of the cool external ambient temperatures. In such a case, one might wish to slow the flow of fluid through the grill cavity 124, so as to not cause cold fluid to offset the heat induced in the grill 100 by the conventional heating components, such as the burners.

The exhaust manifold 122 collects the fluid that emerges from the interior 124 of the grill 100 after it is passed there through. The emerging solar collecting fluid is then passed to a solar fluid exhaust conduit 150. The solar exhaust conduit 150 ultimately directs the fluid back to the solar collector 12, as shown and discussed in connection with FIG. 1. Preferably however, the fluid that passes through conduit 150 is first passed through a heat exchanger to enable the user to employ additional heat from the fluid to heat other things such as the potable water that flows through the pipes of the building.

A conventional gas burner system 154, here shown as a three-burner system including first, second and third burners 156, 158, 160 is disposed underneath the grill element 10. The three-burner system 154 includes three burner elements, such as ring-like first burner element 168, second burner element 170, and third burner element (not shown. All components and assemblies of a current gas burner system are assumed to be a part of the burner 156, 158, 160, but are not shown in these illustrations.

Gas flows into the burners 156, 158, and 160 and then is burned in the burner rings 168, 170 (not shown). Gas controls 172, 174, 176 are provided for controlling the flow of gas through the burners 156, 158, 160 and thus controlling the heat to which the grill element 106 is heated. These gas valves operate 172, 174, and 176 in the conventional manner.

The current invention will be able to achieve grill temperatures of about 350 degrees or so, which is the normal temperature at which many restaurants tend to grill food. At least, such temperatures should be achievable during the daylight. However, at night, the absence of any significant solar input will likely cause the fluid flowing through the solar collector to be of a lower temperature.

The extra boost provided by the gas burner is employed in a variety of situations, but primarily in two situations. The first situation is one wherein the user desires to elevate the temperature of the grill to a temperature above a temperature at which the solar collector fluid is capable of heating the grill. If for example, the solar collector is capable of heating the grill to 350 degrees, one would use the auxiliary gas burner 154 to heat the grill 106 to 500 degrees, if such a high temperature were desire or required for a particular purpose.

Another situation where the temperature would need to be elevated is at night. At night, it is likely that the absence of sunlight will prevent the fluid in the solar collector from achieving a suitable usage range of for example, 350 degrees. Because of this, it is likely that the natural gas burners 154 will be needed to augment the temperature of the grill.

It will also be noted that a control 172 is provided that comprises solar temperature pump 106 control. As alluded to above, one can vary the temperature of the grill 106 by varying the flow volume of fluid through the passageways 126 of the grill 100. The solar temperature pump control 172 is provided for this purpose. Although the solar temperature pump control 172 can be a manual fluid valve, the solar temperature pump control 172 is preferably an electronic control that is capable of electronically actuating the pump 176 (or valve, not shown). The pump 176 should be in communication with the temperature sensor 140, so that the pump 176 can communicate with the temperature sensor 140 to have knowledge of the temperature at which the solar collector fluid is entering the grill 100 passageways 126.

A processing unit 182 such as pre-programmed firm ware or a programmable computer, can be employed along with an algorithm to cause the pump 176 to control the flow of fluid and to select an appropriate fluid flow based upon (1) the temperature of the grill surface 106 desired by the user; and (2) the temperature of the fluid that is entering the grill passageways 126. For example, if the user desired to set the grill to 300 degrees and the fluid temperature entering the grill was at 400 degrees, the user may adjust the valve or pump 176 so as to employ a reduced flow of solar collector fluid that flows to the grill 100. On the other hand, if the temperature of fluid flowing through the solar collector is 300 degrees and the desired temperature of the grill is also 300 degrees, the controller may set the valve to operate at a fully opened configuration to achieve and maintain the desired temperature.

An alternate embodiment cook top is shown in FIG. 2. The cook top grill 200 of FIG. 2 includes two primary features that are not necessarily incorporated in the grill. The first feature is that the cook top comprises a plurality of individually controllable elements that are here shown as four individually controllable elements 202, 204, 206, 208. The supplemental power for the cook top is provided by an electrical element, or a gas burner 210 placed under the bottom member of the grill 200.

A solar supply conduit 214 is provided that extends between four cooking 202-208 elements and is fluidly coupled to the interior passageways (similar to passageways 126) of each of the cooking elements 202-208. Additionally, a solar exhaust conduit 216 is provided that is coupled to the exhaust manifold 220 of each of the four cooking elements 202-208, to carry away solar heating fluid that has already passed through the interior passageways of each of the heating/cooking elements 202-208.

Each of the four cooking elements 202-208 preferably includes its own pump 224 and thermometer 226 system, so that the flow of fluid can be controlled to enable the user to control the temperature of the individual cooking surfaces. By providing four separately controllable pumps 224, one can obtain four completely different zones of heating. For example, one 210 of the heating elements can be turned up to high, the heat water to a boil for cooking spaghetti, whereas a second element can be turned to have the solar collector 12 fluid flowing through at a relatively reduced rate, to provide a “simmering” temperature for a spaghetti sauce that is being cooked concurrently with the water being boiled for cooking the spaghetti itself.

A booster heater, in the form of electric elements or gas members 210 include control members 228, 230, 232, 234 that are individually controllable for the flow of fluid, indirectly to the individual pumps, for individually controlling the flow of fluid through the individual heating elements 202, 204, 206, 208. Additionally, individual controls can be provided for individually controlling the flow of gas to burners 210. A gas supply line 236 supplies gas to burners 210. The grill also includes a solar intake manifold 221.

A third embodiment is shown in FIG. 3 that comprises an oven 300 comprising a container having a heated interior for cooking food. To form the container, six walls are constructed including first 302 and second 304 side walls, a front wall (door) a back wall 308, a top wall 310 and a bottom wall 312.

Although various construction techniques can be performed, the walls of the oven may be constructed by forming a generally planar steel sheet by stamping the sheet into a four sided structure, which the front door and back wall 308 are added.

As is shown in the drawings, solar collector fluid selected through intake pipe 318, into an intake manifold 320. Before entering the intake manifold 320, the SC fluid passes the thermometer 326 that monitors the temperature of the incoming fluid. The SC fluid then flows through passageway surfaces, including the first side wall 302, the bottom wall 308, the second side wall 304, and the top sidewall 310, and ultimately emerges into the exhaust manifold 326. The solar collecting fluid flows out of the exhaust manifold 326 into the solar collection exhaust pipe 328.

A pump 332 is provided that is controllable by a control member 334, that communicates with the thermometer 32 to cause fluid to flow through the cavities within the jacket at a rate that will best achieve the desired temperature of the oven interior. As discussed above, lower flow rates will generally provide lower temperatures. However, the flow rate is also determined by the intake temperature of the fluid, such that the solar collector fluid is entering at 300 degrees, and the desired temperature is 300 degrees, the pump 332 would enable the fluid to flow at full speed, whereas if the solar collected fluid was at 400 degrees but the desired temperature was at 300 degrees, the fluid pump 332 would pump fluid through the interior passageways of the jacket at a reduced rate.

Additional boost power is provided by conventional heating elements 336 that can either be electrical elements as shown in the drawings, or alternately, can be gas burners. These elements 336 are employed in a manner that is similar to the manner in which the boosting power is provided by the burners in the other embodiments.

A wall mounted power head unit 400 is shown in FIG. 4. The head unit 400 provides not only electrical power, but also solar collected fluid and gas (if used) to the grill or stove. The power head 400 includes an exterior sheath member 402 that serves two purposes. The first purpose is to encase the interiorly disposed gas supply 406, solar collector inflow tube 408 and solar exhaust conduit 410.

These extend through the hollow interior 414 of the sheath 402. Additionally, electrical power is carried through wires 416 that are embedded in the sheath 402. These wires 416 terminate at a 3-prong plug that includes first 420, second 422 and third 424 prongs. These prongs 420, 422, 424 work by being inserted into a female wall receptacle shown in FIG. 4A. The plugs are designed so that they are inserted axially into the three female receptacles 428A, 428B, 428C, respectively, and then rotate approximately five degrees, so that the heads of the plugs 420-424 will lock into the relatively narrow portion of the female receptacles 428A-428 E. In this regard, of the key hole shaped receptacle, that included the relatively enlarged portion 430 for receiving the enlarged head of the plug 420-424, and a relatively reduced diameter portion 434, that can receive the shaft like portion of the plug 420-424, and trap the head of the plug behind it to lock the plug into place.

It will be noted that the outer (distal) end of the sheath includes an enlarged diameter, retractable sleeve portion 438. The retractable sleeve portion 438 allows the plugs 420-424 to be moved away from the wall, to permit the user to couple the distal ends of the gas tube 406, solar supply conduit 408, and solar exhaust conduit 410 to their respective ports 442, 444, 446 respectively, on the wall mounted panel.

Preferably, quick connect couplings of the type that are appropriately used for fluid conduits and gas conduits are employed. Most preferably, quick connect couplings are used to facilitate the connection process, although such quick connect couplings have the disadvantage of being more expensive than conventional couplings.

After the three fluid containing tubes 406, 408, 410 are coupled to their respective receptacles 442, 444, 446, the sleeve 402 is then slid axially toward the receptacle, in a manner wherein the relatively enlarged diameter heads of the plug member 420, 422, 424 engage the relatively enlarge diameter portions of the plug receptacles 428A, 428B, 428C. Once so engaged and axially inserted therein, the sleeve 438 is then twisted approximately five degrees so that the heads are placed behind the narrower portion of the key hole slot of the plug receptacle to thereby lock and engage the sleeve and power head unit to the wire receptacle.

FIGS. 5-7 show an alternate embodiment stove top grill 500. The stove top 500 includes three separate burners 502, 504, 506, here shown as a left hand 502, right hand 506 and middle burners 504. The burners 502-506 generally have a width of about 12 inches and a length that is equal to the depth of the cook top that may be 30 inches or less, 24 inches and the like, depending on the size of the stove. Each of the three burners 502-506 is independently controllable. Each of the three burners 502-506 includes an intake manifold 510 into which fluid is delivered into the interior 512 of the cook top 502, an outflow manifold 516 through which fluid flows out of the cook top and a middle portion 518 that comprises the burner on which the food is grilled. The burner portion includes a lower plate member 520 and an upper plate member 522, which together define the cavity 512 there between.

A series of baffles 526 extend in a circuitous path (actually a zig-zag path), from the intake end 510 to the outflow end 516 of the various cavities. The baffles 526 are provided for inducing a turbulent flow of fluid through the cook top portion so that one increases the amount of contact between the hot fluid and the underside of the interior surface of the cook top 520 to thereby increase the heat transfer between the fluid and the cook top 520.

Individual fluid valves are provided that control the flow of fluid through each cook top section 502, 504, 506, and in particular, the cook top. As a general rule, the flow rate of fluid is proportional to the temperature at which the cook top will achieve. As fluid flows through the cook top more quickly, the fluid that is flowing through it would generally be at an average hotter temperature, which would tend to heat the fluid to a hotter temperature. Conversely, a slower flow of fluid will cause the fluid that flows through it to have an average lower temperature, and not heat it as quickly.

Of course, these variations are to some extent both limited by the ability of the output of the solar collector to heat hot fluid. For example, if one ran fluid through the solar collector all too quick of a rate, the fluid may not have enough residence time within the solar collector to heat up to an appropriate temperature. As such, the fluid flow rates through the solar collector and the fluid flow rates through the cook tops 502-506 must be balanced to both maximize the amount of heat that can be transferred to the cook top while achieving the appropriate temperature.

The cook top is designed to be placed over a burner system. Conventionally, there are two types of burner systems, gas burners and electric heating elements. In a typical cook top stove, the heating elements are disposed underneath the cook top that comprises a single layer steel plate. The gas burner or heating element give off heat that heats the steel plate. The steel plate has a top surface on which the food is placed for grilling.

With the present invention, the cook top has a lower surface, an upper surface and a cavity there between. However, the cook top is placed over the gas burners or heating elements. Although it is believed that the solar collector of the present invention should provide sufficient amount of heat during the day time to heat the grill up to a normal grilling temperature and thereby obviate the need for gas burners or heating elements, it will also be appreciated that certain conditions exist, such as nighttime, when the hot fluid output from the solar collector will be insufficient. At times when the output in the solar collector is insufficient to heat the grill to an appropriate temperature, the conventional gas burners or electric element burners can be used to supplement the heat applied by the solar collector, or in extreme cases, serve as a complete replacement therefore.

A gas burner configuration and heating element configuration that most stoves of the present invention employ is relatively conventional. A cook top will need to be modified to accommodate different size stoves, different designs of stoves and different configurations of gas burners or heating elements. Nonetheless, these adaptations can be made in the size, shape and configuration to use the basic principles of the gas burner to accomplish the ends desired.

As shown in FIG. 5, each of the three sections includes its own individually controllable gas valve 548, 550, 552. The gas valves 548-552 are disposed in a gas line, with a gas valve controlling the flow of gas to a burner that is disposed under the cook top. As with any gas stove, the flow rate through the valve can be adjusted to allow more gas or less gas to pass through the burner to apply more heat or less heat as so desired respectively.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the cook top 502 with a gas burner disposed underneath.

Another form of heat is a steam heat device. The steam heat device comprises an alternate type of cook top. The alternate type of cook top would employ a steam heat rather than a direct application of heat. In particular, the grill shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is designed primarily to have an upper surface 518 onto which food can be placed directly for grilling. In a steam type cook top, a third steel member is placed above the cook top shown in FIG. 5 to create a second cavity, above the cavity 512 through which the solar collector heated fluid is formed. The second cavity is typically a closed, sealed cavity that contains fluid therein.

Preferably, the fluid contained therein fills about 50% of the cavity. In this situation, the heat from the solar collector heats the fluid in the lower cavity 512 to cause the water in the upper cavity to be heated to form steam. As the system is closed, and under pressure, the steam within the system could cause the upper surface of this upper cavity to reach an appropriate grill temperature.

Although the use of such a steam system may have some drawbacks as it would tend to be less efficient from an energy utilization standpoint, it would also have some benefits, in that the use of steam to heat the cook top would cause the temperature of cook top to be heated more consistently throughout its area, when compared to the application of a gas burner or an electric heating element. However, the grill top of a grill heated with just the baffled turbulent channels (e.g. FIG. 5) would also more equally distribute the heat over the surface of the cook top when compared to the direct application of either a gas top or electric top.

Your attention is now directed to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows a solar collection system that would include a solar heated stove that is employed within a larger system. The solar heating 600 system includes a solar collector 602 that directs its heated fluid into a stove 604 as shown in FIG. 106. Hot fluid that exhaust the stove 604 is then directed through a heat exchanger 610 that is contained within a hot water tank 612. The hot water tank 612 operates similarly to a conventional hot water tank as it includes a water inflow port 414, and a water outflow port 416. The heat exchanger within the hot water tank functions generally similar to an electric element within a hot water tank, as the fluid within the heat exchanger 610 does not mix with the water tank 612.

Rather, the fluid within interior 616 the heat exchanger heats the surface of the heat exchanger which then heats the water.

Hot water emerges from the hot water tank and is directed to an appropriate valve system 622, such that a valve and a spigot in a sink, so that one could allow the hot water to flow out of the spigot and mix with the cold water to achieve water that is a desired temperature for the user.

A temperature control such as a thermostat 624 would be included within the hot water heater so that one could monitor the temperature of the water merging from the hot water heater 610. A small auxiliary heater 626 is coupled to the thermostat 624, and is capable of providing heat from a conventional fossil fuel source, such as a gas burner or heating element, to provide hot water in situations where the solar collector could not provide sufficient hot water on its own.

Having described the invention in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cooking device comprising: a heatable element for providing heat for cooking food, the heatable element including a fluid channel through which a heating fluid flows for transferring heat from the heating fluid to the heating element; and a solar collector through which the heating fluid flows, the solar collector including heating tubes capable of receiving solar energy and converting the solar energy into heat energy, and transferring the generated heat energy to the heating fluid to heat the heating fluid to a temperature above the boiling point of water and return conducts for collecting fluid which emerges from the heating element, and conducting the heating fluid back to the solar collector for re-heating by the solar collector.
 2. The cooking device of claim 1, further comprising a heat exchanger through which heating fluid in the return conduit flows, the heat exchanger being configured for transferring heat in the heating fluid to a second heating fluid that flows in a second independent heating fluid path.
 3. The cooking device of claim 1 where the second heating fluid path comprises a water heater.
 4. The cooking device of claim 1 wherein the solar collector includes a series of spaced, evacuated thermal collector tubes, heating tubes for carrying fluid for a heater tubes for conducting a collector heating fluid between and in the evacuated collector tubes for heating the collector heating fluid, and in a header for transferring the beat in the collector heating fluid to the heating fluid; wherein the heating tubes in the header are spaced apart by a distance to promote turbulent flow of the heating fluid in the header.
 5. The cooking device of claim 1 further comprising a secondary heating source for transferring heat to the heatable element for supplementing the heat provided by the solar collector.
 6. The cooking device of claim 1 whereas the heatable element includes at least one of a variable valve member and variable pump disposed in the fluid channel for controlling the flow of fluid in the fluid channel.
 7. The cooking device of claim 6 wherein the heating element includes a cooktop including a first cooktop portion and a second cooktop portion, and wherein the fluid channel includes a first fluid channel for transferring heat to the first cooktop portion and a second fluid channel for transferring heat to the second fluid channel.
 8. The cooking device of claim 7 wherein the variable valve member includes a first variable valve member disposed in the first fluid channel for controlling the flow of heating fluid in the first fluid channel and a second variable valve member disposed in the second fluid channel for controlling the flow of fluid in the second fluid channel, the first variable valve member and second variable valve member being independently controllable to permit the temperature of the heat controllable cooktop portion to be controllable independently of the temperature of the second cooktop portion. 